Increased political killings; National Rights panel issues notice to Kerala government

By Express News Service |
Published: 04th August 2017 08:23 AM |

Last Updated: 04th August 2017 08:23 AM | A+A A- |

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the state government regarding the recent spate of political killings. The Commission demanded the Chief Secretary and the state police chief to take effective steps to stop the killings and asked the government to submit a ‘detailed report’ on the matter within four weeks.

The commission’s action came on the basis of media reports on political killings and a complaint filed by BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan following the murder of RSS functionary Rajesh in Thiruvananthapuram last week. The Commission on July 31 had directed an on-the-spot inquiry by its own team, the commission said. “The brutal killings of the party workers are indicative of the growing rivalry among the workers of different parties and poor state of law and order situation in Kerala. There is an urgent need to curb the ongoing violence which amounts to violation of rights to life of the victims,” the commission said.

Differences of opinion and healthy criticism is the integral part of the multi-party democratic political system but bloodshed in the name of political and ideological differences is neither ethical nor acceptable in a civilised society, it noted. On January 25 this year, the commission had taken suo-motu cognisance of the issue on the basis of a media report on gruesome killings of RSS and BJP workers in the state. Subsequently, the commission had called for a report from the Chief Secretary. “A detailed report had been received from the Kerala police chief stating the members of any particular party only are not being murdered or attacked in the state of Kerala but in some political issues, members of all parties have been attacked,” the commission said.

On June 12, the commission directed the DGP to submit a list of cases regarding murders/attacks on political party workers. “The commission also called for information regarding the relief granted to the victims and their families from the Chief Secretary. The report is yet to be received,” the commission said on Friday.

Arun Jaitley to visit Rajesh’s houseT’Puram: Union Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley will visit the house of slain RSS activist Rajesh at Sreekariyam on Sunday, to express his condolences to the bereaved family. Jaitley will reach Thiruvananthapuram by 10 am on Sunday and will visit the houses of BJP councillors allegedly vandalised by CPM activists.

Later he will proceed to visit the family of RSS ‘karyavah’ Rajesh. He will also hold talks with state BJP leaders. The visit of Arun Jaitley is in view of the spurt in attacks on BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. BJP MPs had met the Union Home Minister the other day demanding Centre’s intervention tto end the political violence in Kerala. BJP MPs Prahlad Joshi and Meenakshi Lekhi had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha.